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TINCIEDT Jim MODEP, 



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■ S far back as we can trace tlie early history of man, 
under civilized conditions of life, we find that shoes 
of some kind have been worn. 

At first they were very crude and simple, being notn- 
ing more than soles fastened to the foot by means of 
thongs or straps, Avhich passed between the toes and 
around the ankle, like Figs, i, 2,3. Shoes of this de- 
scription were called sandals, and were worn by the an- 
cient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. 

It has been discovered, by means of paintings on the 
walls of Thebes, that shoemaking formed a distinct and 
quite lucrative trade away back in the reign of Thoth- 
mes III., some fifteen hundred years before Christ, so 
that followers of the awl and last can truthfully boast of 
the great antiquity of their profession. 

The material chiefly employed in the manufacture of 
shoes, from the earliest times to the present, has been 
leather, though stuffs of various kinds and colors have 
entered into their composition at different periods. 

The sandals worn by the priests of ancient Egypt 
were generally made of palm and papyrus leaves fast: 
ened together. Some well-preserved specimens of these 
sandals, obtained from tombs, can now be seen at the 
British Museum, in London. 



Such were ^he shoes probably worn by Pvhodope, the 
Cinderella of the Nile. Rhodope was said to have the 
loveliest foot in all Egypt. One day, as she was t-king 
her bath, an eagle stooped from Heaven and carried off 
her sandal. She watched him as he soared on high, 
until he finally disappeared in the distance. 

When, after a time, he let the sandal drop, it fell at the 
feet of the King, who was so charmed Avi:h its beauty 
that he commanded that a search be made immediately 
for its owner. Rhodope was soon discovered, and 
shortly afterwards became the Queen of Egypt. 



In both ancient Greece and Rome we find that, while 
it was common for the women to wear some kind of a foot 
covering, shoes were not generally worn by the men or 
youth, the latter always being taught to go barefooted. 
But later on, on ceremonial occasions, the magistrates 
began to wear a red shoe, while the soldiers took to a 
boot reaching almost to the knee, very elaborate in de- 
sign, and in a short time the custom of Avearing a cover- 
ing for the feet was adopted by all classes. The shoes 
of the women were always Avhite in color, the senators 
black, while the magistrates kept to themselves red. 



In eastern countries wc find the Japanese wearing a 



—5— 




shoe of rice and straw woven together (Fig. 5). This 
material is very hght and soon wears out; so, when 
starting on a journey of any length, it is customary to 
take a number of pairs of shoes with one, leaving the old 
ones along the roadside as they become unfit for use. 

The Japanese, on entering a house, observe the same 
rule as the Turk on going into his mosque, always tak- 
ing off their shoes and leaving them at the threshold, 
lest they might soil the door-mats, for which they have 
a peculiar and marked respect. The military in Japan 
wear a kind of clog, covered with movable metallic 
plaques (Fig. 4), To this is attached a sole of wood or 
plaited straw, which is held on the foot by means of a 
roll passing between the toes. 

The Chinese, we all know, have, for ages past, relig- 
iously devoted themselves to dwarfing the feet of their 
women of the higher classes, so that it is not at all un- 
common to find a full-grown woman with a foot as small 
as a child's of four or five with us. 

Of late years this barbarous custom has been gradu- 
ally dying out, and now one can occasionally come 
across a woman whose feet have not been distorted; 
still, when they are allowed to wear shoes of natural size 
and form, they are usually fixed on high, conical soles, 
like Figure 8, which renders walking very difficult. 
But the Chinese women are not expected to walk r/iuch, 
as their lives are passed in seclusion and retirement. 



—8- 



Some of the shoes worn by the ladies are very beauti- 
ful, indeed (Figs. 6 & 7), being made of delicate pink and 
blue satin embroidered with birds and flowers. 

The men generally wear black satin boots with white 
soles, which they lay off in summer for shoes made of 
plaited bamboo, with cork soles. 

In India, shoes are worn only by the higher classes, 
and a kw of the lower castes. This habit of going 
shoeless seems to render the toes of the Hindoo almost 
as lissom as fingers. Sitting at his work, if his hands 
are employed he can use his feet to pick up any article 
he may require, as the big toe becomes quite prehensile. 

Among the Persians we find that in ancient times 
one of low stature was generally looked upon with dishon- 
or; hence arose high heels to repair the deficiency of 
nature. At first they were worn only by actors and 
actresses on the stage, but were afterwards adopted by 
all classes, even those whose stature required no addi- 
tional height blindly conforming to the prevailing fash- 
ion, as many people do at the present day. 

Some of the shoes worn in Eastern countries, at dif- 
ferent times, have been very interesting (Figs. 9, 10, 
II, 12, 13, 14). 

Figure 1 1 shows a lady's shoe richly painted with 
small flowers. In front is a knob of brilliant color, di- 
vided into segments to imitate the petals of a flower, 
aAd at every step the wearer takes she presses a spring 



-lO- 



concealed under the sole, which causes the petals to 
alternately open and close. One can easily imagine 
the sensation such a shoe would cause, seen promenad- 
ing along any of our prominent thoroughfares for the 
first time. 

The shoes worn by the wealthy are of the richest de- 
scription, being overlaid with gold and silver, and em- 
broidered with precious stones. Others, like Figure 14, 
are adorned with inlaid work of pearls or delicate shells 
set in gold, closely resembling cloissoime enamel, while 
many employ the wings of gorgeous insects in their 
decoration. 

The color of shoes in the East seems to be a matter 
of importance, indicating the rank or caste of the wear- 
er, red and yellow being the favorite shades. 

In olden times the Mohammedans were very jealous 
that none should wear yellow but themselves, wishing 
it to be preserved as their distinctive mark ; and there 
is an old story which tells how some charitable person 
gave a Christian beggar an old pair of yellow slippers, 
and the Sultan happening to see them had the old man 
thrown into prison, and despite his explanations and 
protestations of innocence would not spare his life. 



Leaving the East, and coming back to Europe, we 
find that in the early days of the Church at Rome there 



n- 




-12- 



llved a pious man named Crispin, and his brother, who 
became converted to Christianity, and leaving their na- 
tive village traveled into France and Britain. 

While on their travels they supported themselves by 
making shoes, which they sold to the poor at very low 
prices. 

(There is a legend which says that an angel supplied 
them with all the leather, which probably accounts for 
their moderate charges.) At any rate, they are said to 
have done a great deal of good among the poor, but 
were finahy martyred for their faith, in. the third century. 
Ever since their memory has been celebrated by the 
faithful of their craft with great rejoicing and merriment 
on the 25th of October, which is known as St. Crispin's 
Day, while he is considered the patron saint of all shoe- 
makers. 



In the ninth and tenth centuries, we find the use of 
wooden shoes, or sabots, very general throughout Eu- 
rope, princes of all degrees wearing them. Their reign 
was of short duration, however, as they were soon rel- 
egated to the poorer classes, by whom they have been 
worn ever since. 

One would think, from their clumsy appearance (Fig. 
16), that it must be rather awkward work to walk in 
them, but the peasants do not seem to find it so, and 



—13— 




— 14— . 

even indulge in the "light fantastic" with considerable 
grace and freedom of motion. 

Their chief objection, however, is the noise they 
make. Having lived for some time in the close 
vicinity of a public school in Brittany, where some 
one or two hundred children were in daily attend- 
ance, wearing these wooden sabots, I have a very dis- 
tinct recollection of the din and clatter these little ones 
would make, as they raced each other down the hill on 
their release from school. Not many years ago an at- 
tempt was made to introduce wooden shoes into the 
United States, but it met with so little success that its 
projectors were forced to abandon the scheme. 



In Venice we find that the custom in olden times was 
to have the shoes of the women mounted very high, 
so as to make walking as difficult as possible. By this 
means jealous husbands thought they would be able to 
keep their wives at home ; but the plan did not succeed 
very well, I believe. 

Figs. 17 and 18 show the Venetian shoes of this pe- 
riod, the sixteenth century. The first one, of white 
leather, is cut out in a delicate lace-work pattern, fur- 
nished with a broad sole, and Avould have been comfort- 
able enough, were it not for its high support. 

These supports, or c/iafineys, as ihey were called by 



— 15— 




— 16— 

the Venetians, were made of wood and covered with 
leather of different colors. Many were curiously- 
painted, while the richest were of gilt. The height of 
these chapifieys was determined by the rank of the 
wearer, the noblest ladies often having them one-half 
yard or more high. Of course no woman could walk 
easily, hampered with such appendages, so all that could 
at all afford it would have one or two attendants to 
support them on either side when they walked abroad ; 
and even thus supported, walking was extremely difficult. 
Finally, the daughters of one of the Doges came to 
the conclusion that the fashion was abominable, and 
they would stand it no longer. It was not long before 
their suffering sisters became of the same mind, and the 
fashion gradually died out. 

When Charles I. first met his future wife at Dover, 
he seemed surprised to find her so tall, and, having 
made some remark to that effect, she answered him as 
follows : " Sire, I stand upon my own feet. I have no 
help of art. Thus high I am ; I am neither higher or 
lower," wishing him to understand, it seems, that her 
fine stature was not due to artificial means. 

Fig. 15 represents a highly ornamented clog of this 
period, while Figure 19 shows another style of Venetian 
pattern. 

On page 13 we have two shoes from Africa, Figs. 21 
and 22. The first, of yellow leather, is quite simple iq 



— 18— 

design, but the latter is more elaborate In decoration. 
Fig. 24 shows an Indian shoe, while Fig. 23 is a Persian 
boot, whose pointed front is supposed to have been de- 
signed for the purpose of preventing the wearer from 
kicking up the dust, so unpleasant in hot countries. 



In France the clothing of the foot has always been a 
subject of special consideration, and many have been 
the styles that have emanated from there. Among the 
first was the long pointed shoe, called thtpoulaine (Fig. 
25), in England named crakowes. (This name, poic- 
laine, seems to indicate that the fashion came from 
Poland, though the pointed shoe is supposed to be of 
Eastern origin.) These shoes grew both in favor and 
length, for a number of years, until the poiilame had 
reached such proportions that it was necessary to fasten 
it to the knee by means of a chain of gold or silver, 
while in order to keep it in shape it had to be stuffed 
with hay, straw, or fine moss. The length of the pou- 
laine was determined in the same manner as the height 
of the chapineys, by the rank of the wearer, and it was 
no uncommon sight to find a nobleman with his poii- 
laine some twelve inches or more in extent, while the 
upper part of his shoes would be cut out to imitate the 
windows of a church. 

When the crusading army was before Nicopolis, these 



20 — 

poulaines astonished the Turks very much, who probably 
wondered how fighting was to be done in them. When 
it came to decisive action, however, it was found that the 
poulaines impeded the movements of the knights so 
much that an order was given to cut them off. 

There was also made, at this time, in order to avoid 
trailing the poulaines in the mud of the narrow streets, 
a kind of wooden clog (Fig. 27), with cross-bars edged 
with iron ; this was fastened to the foot by an embroi- 
dered leather strap. By means of this contrivance the 
poulaines were kept from contact with the ground. 

This fashion flourished for a long time despite the 
anathemas of the bishops, who stigmatized them as im- 
moral, and the denunciations of officials. 

By an act of Parliament, in 1463 shoemakers were 
prohibited from making, for the lower classes, shoes with 
points more than two inches long; and afterwards ex- 
communication was pronounced on any person found 
wearing them ; so they were forced to retire, after a vig- 
orous reign of almost three centuries. 

From the poulaine, fashion ran into the opposite ex- 
treme, and in the sixteenth century people wore shoes 
with square toes as broad, and sometimes broader, than 
they were long (Fig. 26). They had no straps, and were 
only held on the foot by the narrow piece rising above 
the heel. It was shoes of this kind that were worn by 
Francis I. of France, and Henry VIII. of England. 



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In the latter country they were aboHshed during the 
reign of Mary Tudor. The examples given are believed 
to be German, and must have belonged to a person of 
high rank, from their decoration. 

Another early example of a French shoe is Fig. 29. 
It is of white stuff ornamented on the instep with a large 
rosette of silver lace and a long metal point. The heel 
is so high that the wearer must have literally walked on 
her toes. Another female shoe of interest is from the 
wardrobe of Catherine de Medicis, Fig. 28. The shoe, . 
of white leather, no longer has the toe pointed but is 
square in shape, covered to the instep with silk, on 
which are worked figures in silver lace, giving to it the 
appearance of a metal surface. This shoe is peculiar, 
in having a sole which connects the toe and heel 
together in the form of a pattern. 

Fig 30 shows a shoe of this period, of delicate work- 
manship. The toe has now become quite round, while 
the leather is slashed to show the stocking underneath. 

Fig. 31 represents an Italian shoe of the seventeenth 
century; Fig. ;^;^ is another style of the peaked shoe, of 
the same date. Fig. 32 is thought to be Flemish in or- 
igin, and of the eighteenth century. The heel and back 
are not unlike in shape the shoe worn during the Re- 
gency in France, but the peculiar front-piece makes us 
think that this shoe could never have been very popular 
for every-day wear. 



—23- 




—24— 

During the Revolution in France, there was quite a 
mania for classic styles in shoes, and many ladies in high 
society adopted the Greek and Roman sandals, which 
were fastened on the foot by gay-colored ribbons. 
Mme. Talllen once appeared at a ball in such sandals, 
with her toes decorated with diamond rings. 

Fig. 34 shows the shoe of the unfortunate Duke de 
Montmorency, a victim of the relentless animosity of Rich- 
elieu. It is of black leather, with a large red heel, and 
entirely covered with ornaments; tradition says it was 
gathered on the scaffold. Fig. 35 represents a highly 
ornamented lady's shoe of this j^eriod, Avhile Fig. 36 is a 
shoe worn during the Regency. The heel is very high 
and not unlike a barber's wig-stand; the front, however, 
-is rather graceful in shape. 

. Figs. 37 and 38 are samples of the curiously carved 
wooden shoes which were worn by ladies at the end of 
the sixteenth century. Fig. 39 represents a black leather 
shoe of Louis XIV., with red heel; these were in high 
favor at court at this time. 



The use of boots marks a conquering race. In Ger- 
many, during the Middle Ages, serfs were forbidden to 
wear them ; and this probably explains why, when they 
rose for justice, after ages of opprc.:sion, they chose for 
their standard a great peasant's shoe. The samples of 



-^5 




—26— 

boots given are from the time of Louis XIV. and XV. 
Fig, 40 was called the cauldron boot ; this had a pecu- 
liar appendage around the ankle. Fig. 41, the bellows 
boot, has an enormous top, so that a man could hardly 
wear a pair without straddling. Fig 42, the postillion's 
boot ; these were generally made of very heavy material, 
so if the postillion, by chance, should fall from his horse, 
the wheels of the carriage might pass over his legs with- 
out doing him any injury. 



We have now followed the various changes that shoes 
have undergone from the earliest times to the present, 
and would bring our remarks to a close with a notice of 
some of the shoes of to-day furnished by J. & J. Slater, 
which, if not as fantastic in shape as some that we have 
treated, cannot be excelled for grace or durability. 

Fig. 43 is a Ladies' Riding Boot, made of morocco and 
patent leather. This style is the only correct one at 
present, and no riding costume is complete without 
them. 

Fig. 44 represents Ladies' Button Boot. The mate- 
rial employed is kid top, with patent leather foxing. 
This makes not only a very stylish but comfortable 
walking boot. 

Fig. 45 shows Ladies' Toilet Slipper. It is made ot 
Suede kid lined with silk. This material is now the 
latest style for dress or toilet slippers. 



-28- 



Fig. 46 shows Ladies' Oxfords, made of French kid, 
with patent-leather tips. This is a dehghtful summer 
walking shoe, either for city or country wear. 

Fig. 47 is a Gentleman's Riding Boot, the only proper 
boot for park riding. 

Fig 48, Gentleman's Button Boot, made with kid top, 
calf foxing, with tips, for walking, or cloth tops and 
patent-leather foxing, for dress wear. 

Fig. 49, Gentleman's Oxfords, or summer walking 
shoe ; very easy and comfortable for every-day wear. 

The above are but a few of the various styles intro- 
duced by them, and a visit to their establishment will 
convince all of the high reputation their goods have 
achieved in the last twenty-five years. 



Shoes have not only been used for their natural pur- 
pose of covering the feet, but from remote time have 
played a part in many of the important actions of life. 
Years ago it was the custom in Ireland to elect a per- 
son to a certain office by throwing an old shoe over his 
head. But on one occasion an excited elector, whose 
place it was to throw the shoe, aimed too low, so that 
the shoe hit the candidate on the head, instantly killing 
him. After this occurrence the practice fell into disrepute. 

In England it was once customary to bind contracts 
by the exchange of old shoes, while we are all familiar 







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— 3°— 

with the practice of throwing an old shoe after a bride 
for good luck ; but I wonder how many know what it 
originally signified. It is a custom that has come to us 
from the Saxons, and with them denoted that the au- 
thority under which the bride lived while in her father's 
home was now delivered over to the husband, who was 
privileged to exact implicit obedience from his wife. 



Shoes have also had their share of superstition attached 
to them, it being considered to portend great evil, if by 
chance one should put the right shoe on the left foot, 
or vice versa. Even one of the Roman Emperors is 
said to have run the greatest risk from just this cause 
alone. 

" Augustus having by o'ersight, 
Put on his left shoe for his right, 
Had hke to have been slain that day, 
By soldiers mutinying for their pay. " 

But in this day of button shoes the dangers to be in- 
curred from this cause are very slight. 



— 3T— 




J. & J. SLATER, 

1185 Broadway. 



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